Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. Thorney Island
Q2. Bognor Regis
The initial clues appear to place us on Thorney Island, in the county of West Sussex. Thorney Island was home to 164 squadron during the second world war and according to some of the sources I checked, staffed by six hundred Argentinian pilots. They must have been very brave indeed, as flying sorties against shipping and ground attack runs against armour, using the primitive rockets on their Hawker Typhoons, must have been more than a little hairy.
The canal the puzzle author is referring to, is probably the 'Portsmouth and Arundel Canal'. This seems to have been constructed c 1823, with the intention of providing a route from Portsmouth to London that avoided the dangers in the English Channel. I found an old map which shows it starting in Portsea Island, passing through a dredged channel North of Hayling Island, passing South of Thorney Island and then tracking North East, until it joined the river Arun near Ford.
Thorney Island is where the one hundred and fifty mile long 'Sussex Border Path' begins and some references claim that a TA unit called 63 SAS Signal Squadron are currently based there.
Five miles south west of Ford, would place us in the town of Bognor Regis. The pier there looks to be three hundred and fifty feet in length. The town got the Regis extension, when it was recommended to George V as a place that could restore his health. Upon hearing this, the king is reported to have quipped, 'Bugger Bognor!' . The pier is where an event (International Bognor Birdman) involving potty eccentrics jumping into the sea in barely airworthy 'flying machines', is held.
Famous people who were educated in Bognor include another potty but very interesting eccentric, namely the Astronomer, Patrick Moore ( born c 1923). Moore first appeared on TV c 1956 to talk about UFOs. The cricketer is probably David Stuart Sheppard (born c 1929). Some of his biographies claim that he was educated at Nothcliffe House School in Bognor and that as well as playing in twenty two test matches ( debut c1950 ), was also the Bishop of Liverpool. The playwright is most likely Anthony Joshua Shaffer. He was for a time educated in Bognor Regis and did produce a work called 'Murderer' .
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
No comments:
Post a Comment